"Often cast as the peacemaker in free software disputes, Bruce Perens is on the warpath. When we caught up with him, he wasn't in a mood to be charitable to Novell. On Friday the Utah company, which markets the SuSE Linux distribution, revealed that it was entering into a partnership with Microsoft. Redmond would pay Novell an undisclosed sum in return for Novell recognizing Microsoft's intellectual property claims. Novell received a 'Covenant' promising that it wouldn't be sued by Microsoft."It's a case of 'Damn the people who write the software'", he told us. "Novell is in a desperate position - it has a smaller share of the market than Debian,"" he told The Register. Update: Novell responds to community's questions: here, here and here. Update 2: Havoc Pennington's take.

Are you high? Seriously... If you really believe that Microsoft is all-of-a-sudden all lovey dovey towards the open source community because their "ruling class" has changed then I want some of whatever it is you're smoking. On second thought, no I don't. The leaopard cannot change its spots. Making a deal with Microsoft is like making a deal with the devil. Novell has sold its soul. If nothing else, the negative backlash of their betrayal will see their fortunes dip even further and when MS is tired of waiting for the turn-around, they'll delive the death blow themselves. So long Novell, it was nice knowing you. (P.S. Thanks for XGL!!!)

Novell has sold its soul. If nothing else, the negative backlash of their betrayal will see their fortunes dip even further and when MS is tired of waiting for the turn-around, they'll delive the death blow themselves. So long Novell, it was nice knowing you. (P.S. Thanks for XGL!!!)

Well, even before their FAQ about the deal I wasn't sure. But now I'm even more questioning my self if people (including me) jumped on the conclusion too fast. And I wasn't really worried after more facts popped up even before their FAQ.

Novell only lacks two things to explain, primary choice OIN or MS and labeling linux with FUD stickers after the original announcement went trough. Although FUD stickers seem to be silenced, we can surely expect them from MS, it is a real PR WMD-FUD.

The fact that MS has "learnt from its mistakes" does NOT inevitably mean "it has learnt to cooperate with the FOSS community (or anyone else)". It could just as well mean, "It has learnt from its mistakes on trying to combat Linux, and is now trying to subvert it by appearing to co-opt it". The Molotov-Ribbentropp Pact comes to mind: [Appear to] make peace with your enemies now, so that you may be in a stronger position to declare war on them later.

Microsoft stated that they need to work together with open source projects. It's for their and our benefit.

They also stated they needed to work together with IBM to create OS/2. And with Sendo, and so on.

Microsoft may mean it this time. But it is far, far too early to tell. And given the fact that the CEO is currently one-half of the two man team that crushed CP/M, OS/2, et al., I'm not hopeful.

I always say, if you don't like it the GNU/HURD OS project still needs help!

If this deal turns sour, it may well spell a new beginning for the HURD, hopefully under GPL3 to avoid all this patent nonsense (to borrow someone's apt phrase) that will cause trouble (if trouble there will be) in the first place.

Also, Linus Torvalds will go from open-source hero to Most-Hated Dupe. Even more so than Miguel de Icaza (if he is a dupe and not a mole).

NotParker (for I do believe he is the Unknown Downmodder): Yes, you hate Linux. You hate anyone who does not hate Linux. We get it. Now get over yourself already. There are plenty of people who will mod these posts up again at least to 1 point, so it's not worth the bother. Get out more.